


One Step Closer

by MissCordayLewis



Category: E.R.
Genre: Angst, F/F, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-07
Updated: 2012-06-07
Packaged: 2017-11-07 04:00:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/426710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissCordayLewis/pseuds/MissCordayLewis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Susan wanted to do was help her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Step Closer

**Author's Note:**

> Set during "Dead Again", right after Pratt gets out of the lounge after seeing Elizabeth holding that photo of the gang.

If Susan would rate Elizabeth’s sense of empathy and compassion at that moment from 1-10, she would have given her a -1.

She shook her head when Paul Hufner gripped to a chair and fall into a heap, tears of grief and anguish flowing from his eyes. People would think that it’s a natural reaction to such news. But deep down Susan knew that  had Elizabeth showed a bit more softness to her words, this wouldn’t have happened.

But no sense in kicking a dog when she’s down, isn’t there? Besides, while sarcasm was her style, Backstabbing wasn’t.

And unfortunately, so was being upfront.

A couple of hours later, Susan entered the lounge to get her things, only to find Elizabeth staring at one particular photo on the corkboard. One of Mark, Kerry, Carol, Lydia, Haleh, Conni and Randi. Possibly taken from the time before the second tumor came along, judging from Kerry’s hair and Mark’s happier overall disposition.

Her plan of not being noticed were dashed when Elizabeth craned her neck back at her, eyes red and watery. “Oh, hello Susan.”, Elizabeth said.

“Hi. Just going to get my things.”, Susan said before retreating to her locker. As she grabbed her things, she wondered how things would have been if she hadn’t left for Phoenix. On hindsight, had she known that things would turn out like this, she thanked circumstances for how they turned out to be.

Still didn’t take away the sting of so many other things.

Elizabeth pinned the photo back on the corkboard and sank herself to the couch in the middle of the lounge. Susan was about to head out to the door when the surgeon piped from her seat “Guess I should have let you talk to him about it.”

Upon hearing what she said, Susan headed back inside and sat down on the other side of the couch, leaving a gap between them. “Let’s just say it wasn’t one of your best decisions today.”

Elizabeth nodded and propped her elbows on her thighs. “I just don’t understand why everyone treats me like some damsel in distress waiting to be saved.” Elizabeth said, not making any eye contact. “Elizabeth, do you need help? Elizabeth, how are you feeling today? Elizabeth, are you all right?”

“You know, we’re just concerned about you. ”

A glare pierced through Susan’s way as Elizabeth snapped at her, her lips curling to a fine line and her speech more controlled and strident. “A better way to show your bloody concern for me would be to leave me alone.”

Susan took a deep breath and look at Elizabeth in the eye. “Listen, Elizabeth. I know you miss Mark as much as I do, but you have to let others help you. You don’t have to do this alone.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “You don’t know anything, Susan. You don’t know what it’s like for everything you see, everything you hear, everything you feel, to remind of someone you love. You never knew, not even until now.”, the surgeon said before storming out and slamming the door, leaving Susan in the lounge.

_"I just wanted to help you."_

She understood how hurt she was, yet the words still stung in her like snake's venom, and the pain of Elizabeth brushing her off lingered on. Dejected, she slumped her shoulders and prepared for another night to be spent on an empty apartment.

Not that she would call it her home. Nothing, not even Antonio Banderas, was waiting for her to come back.

 


End file.
